In celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America, the New-Unit Task Force announces the Founder's Bar recognition. This recognition is intended to emphasize the importance and pride of forming and nurturing a new Scouting unit.
The Founder's Bar is worn by all youth and adults whose names are on a new-unit charter or who officially join the new unit before the unit recharters for the first time.
This recognition is not just for new units - original charter members of units created prior to 2010 can also wear this patch, as long as the unit is still in operation and the person is still a member.
Though the bar looks similar to an Interpreter's Strip, it is worn on the left sleeve below the unit numerals.
The patch, pocket certificate, and full-size certificate are available at local scout shops.
See BSA Details page.
Comments: Jan 04, 2013 - Scouter Paul
Bryon - It is only for NEW charters. If you start up a Pack at the same charter organization but using a new charter, that would work.
Jun 05, 2013 - Elba
We just found out about this patch. Are pack just started last September so would we qualify for this patch even though we rechartered in March.
Jun 05, 2013 - Scouter Paul
Elba - everyone that joined the Pack prior to your rechartering can wear the patch.
Jul 08, 2013 - Cubmaster Again
If you were a founding member of a pack, and then moved away, do you have to remove the founder badge if you take on a role in another pack?
Jul 13, 2013 - Scouter Paul
@Cubmaster Again - Yes, the Founder's Bar is only to be worn while an active member in that particular unit.
Oct 05, 2013 - DL Kat
Can the founder bar be worn with the trained bar?
Oct 05, 2013 - Scouter Paul
@Kat - Yes, both can be worn.
Oct 06, 2013 - DL Kat
@scouter Paul
Thank you! My friend and I started a pack for our sons NYC public school. We have 48 boys and I'd love to get this patch for them!
Jan 10, 2014 - Mr. Jones
We are not a new pack but have re-chartered under a new organization as of this fall. Is this an award the pack members can wear?
Jan 11, 2014 - Yukon Jack
@ Mr. Jones. No, merely changing chartered organization partners does not entitle your units scouts and scouters to wear the Founders Bar. Only those who were members of your pack during its initial year of existence (the original charter or joined before the first re-charter) may wear the bar.
Mar 19, 2014 - Scouter Jim
We earned the Founders Bar for a Pack. My son is aging up to a Troop, chartered by the same organization. Can he continue to wear the Founders Bar on his Boy Scout uniform?
Mar 19, 2014 - Scouter Paul
@Jim - No, the Founders bar is for a specific unit. A Pack and a Troop are two separate units.
Jul 12, 2014 - Will
The committee and leaders for our new Crew are also chartered to a troop. From reading the description here I am thinking they would be eligible to wear this award on Crew uniforms, but not on Troop uniforms?
Sep 06, 2014 - Kelly
Myself and a few others starting a brand new pack two years ago. Most of us were members of another pack but decided it was best to split from them. We did all the work: found a location, a charter organization and filled out all the paperwork, but my local scout shop says that we don't qualify for the badge because we were already scouts and broke off from another pack. Is this right? They also say that cub scouts shouldn't get service stars, they are only for adults. Is that right?
Sep 07, 2014 - Scouter Paul
@Kelly - Wrong on both questions. If you have a new charter for your new Pack, then it's a new unit and the original members of the unit can wear the Founder's Bar.
Service stars can be worn by "Any youth or adult member who have at least one year of tenure in Scouting" according to the BSA page
Apr 08, 2015 - Asst Scoutmaster Todd
We are just starting a brand new Troop with a new charter. Is the founder bar available in the green/khaki or just red? We are also going to order the one piece numeral patch, can we have a Founder bar added to that?
Apr 08, 2015 - Scouter Paul
@Todd - It is just red. You can have 'veteran numerals' added to the custom unit numerals, but the Founders Bar is not an offered option. You could contact the folks at ScoutStuff.org directly and ask if they could do it for you.
May 22, 2020 - David Deaton
I see places that will sell you numeral patches with the Founders
Bar incorporated into one patch. Some say that is legal, others
say it is not. Let me ask you.... Can order BSA numerals and put
the Founders Bar at the bottom so that you only have one patch to
sew on?
Thanks
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